Joseph x e e



July 12, 1932. BLANCK 1,867,053

GAME

Filed Jan'. 21. 1931 Patented July 12, 1932 issaess UNITED STATES PATENT OF CE I JosErH r. BLAivoK, or LANSIDOWNE, MARYLAND V GAME Application filed January 21, 1931. Serial No. 510,307.

This invention relates to a game, and' game apparatus with which the game is to be played, the game itself and the game apparatus having the features of novelty and 6 the advantages set out below. r

The game of my invention is a war game which is divided arbitrarily into four successive stages or campaigns, each one dependent upon the preceding stage in the respects of the determination of the starting player and otherfactors. The arrangement of the game 8 out in the playing of each stage of the game,

the starting position of each stage of the game being corresponded to the positions of the opposing armies in the World War in the campaign represented.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel game apparatus including a game board or playing surface and movable game pieces for use in connection therewith, whereby the orderly playing of the game of the invention, including itssuccessive stages, and the regulation of themovements of the game pieces in accordance with the rules set out below is accomplished. V 7

These and other objects of the invention,

its nature, and its composition, arrangement,

, armcos to represent an army corps, typ fied? and combination of parts will be evident to anyone acquainted with the art to which this invention relates, upon reading the following descriptions in connection with the drawing in which I Figure 1 is a plan view of the game board of my invention showing the arrangement and markings of the playing surface thereof. Figure 2 is a perspective, view of one of the game pieces used with the game board.

' Referring in detail to the drawing, the

numeral 5 refers generally to the game'board which may be of any suitable construction 7 of either stiff or flexible material The interestof the game is promoted byproviding the board fairly large, and aconvenient con- :521 struction is of flexible fabric such as felt,oil-

cloth, and similar materials. r The playing surface or field ofbattle, generally designated by the numeral 6, occupies the greater part of one surface of,theboard3 and is preferably square in outline and divided transversely by longitudinal lines}' into nine sectors, corresponding toyvthe nine principal sectors of the WorldWar. Starting from one side of the board the sectors are denominated byisuccessive letters of the alphabet, namely, A, B, C, D, E,F, H, and I. v 3 7 Ateach end of the lines7ther'e is a'transverse line 8, called the reserve line. Par-4 allel with each reserve line is any other line 9. The areas included between the lines 8 and the lines 9 is called the reserve zone.

A transverse line 10, extending from-one .side of the playing surface, to the other divides the playing surface in two equal areas one assigned to each of the combatant forces. The line 10 is called the fborder line.

.Further, the playing surface is divided longitudinally byequally spaced transverse 1 lines 11 into twenty-five (25) transversely extending areas. This arrangement, it will be seen, divides each of the sectors A, B, C, etc., into twenty-five transversely elongated rectangular spaces 12, twelve on each side ofthe border line 10, one of the spaces12 being extendedequally on each side of the border line as shown in Figure 1.

The game pieces of my nvention called by that shown in Figure2 have, preferably,

square bases 13, of such size that three of them placed side'by side. on one of the spaces ously as sometimes required during the playing of the game, is facilitated. The reduced portion 12 is provided to facilitate separating an armco froma group and otherwise'xlfi 1 handling the game pieces. Of course,other forms of game pieces embodying equal susceptibility of interchangeable positioning'in.

groups and easeof handling could be used if they be proportioned so that an alinement of three of them would occupy one of the spaces 12, and groups of them couldbe moved either forwardly and backwardly or to either side without spreading under ordinary circumstances.

Having described the: character of gameboard contemplated herein, and the playing surface thereof, and the game pieces used, I will now proceed to describe the game it self, and a preferred manner of playing the game with the said gamejboard and game pieces: total of forty (40) of the game pieces is used playing the game, eighteen v 18) of which are of one color, and eighteen 'tra armcos of another color.

(18). of acontrasting color, and'four (4) ex- 7 Although the complete game of my inventi-on is composed of four distinct stages or 'camp'aign s' as mentioned above, the sequence I eighteen armcos of one color and places them we start the First Campaign on the-dots or rings 1-5 placedasshown in Figure 1, on

at the reserve line, theninth armco being preferably placed in the fifth space from the reserve line,'though it may be placed in ofand connection between thestages or campaigns is such that in reality the complete game is a un fied movementtoward a goal and the stages or campaigns are steps leading thereto. It is provided that the winner of the first stage or campaign shall start the play; in the second campaign and that the 'winner of the second campaign shall start .the playin the third campaign, but that the loser of first stage or campaign shallstart "the play in the fourth-or lastfcampaign'.

PZacmg the game pieces" With this understanding, each player takes each side of the border line. Any desired manner of determining the player who is to open play in the first game may be'em- 'ployed. The starting positions of the armcos are different for the Second Campaign. In

this campaign the winner places nine (9) of his armcos in sector C'and nine in sector H, two armcos being placed in each space 12 in each of saidse'ctors beginning the space next to the reserve line. The loser of the first game places his armcos in the first and second spaces next to and on his side of the border line, one in each of said spaces 'The'starting positions of the armcos for the Third Campaign difi er from the starting positions in theFirst and Second Campai "ns. In the Third Campaign each player p aces his armcos in the first and second spaces next tohi's reserve line, one in each of said'spaces. 'The starting positions of the armcos for the Fourth Campaign are campaign.-

the same as thestarting positions'o-f the armcos for the, Third Campaign. -However, in addition to his eighteen armcos so posi tioned, the loser of the First Campaign, who as provided shall start the play in the Fourth Campaign, places the four (4) extra armcos in the second sector counting from his right and immediately in advance of the armcos already in position in the sector. Theextra armcos are representative of the American Expeditionary Force and its injection into the World War on the side of the Allies- I with the well known resultant'vi'ctorious preponderance ofpower. The various major campaigns and actions of the Great War are represented throughout thegame ofmy invention, and the different initial positionings' of the game pieces is such that given the accomplishment of which is calledclearing the sectors. i'Numeric'al preponderance only 1n the concentrations of armcos qualifies them to push back enemy concentratlons in any sector. The armcos of a concentration mustbe closed up andnot separated by a space or spaces. The player who first achieves a complete concentration of all of his armcos in any "sector iscredited' with two (2) points. counts one (1) point. The game, is scored Clearing a sector on a. majority of eleven (11)- points for each -M0m'ng the'armcos ioo The manner offchanging the initial and subsequent positions of the armcos is common to each of the four stages or campaigns.

The player whose turn itis to actjmust-first-- move'then advance. The action of moving is a shifting of an armco 0r armcos either backward, forward in the same sector or to either side into next sectors. The action of moving is aimed at concentrating armcos in a sector.

out the four campaigns, the

lowed by the advance? "In the case ofa single armco, the moveis into a next space either forwardly, backwardly, or to either side, and the advance? is'forwardly one space. However, where there is tion, the advance is'made at the rate of one The action ofadvancing is a shifting of'an armco'or armcostoward the enemyreserve line. The orderof shifting the armcos is always the same throughmove, fol-- Three armcos may occupy one space in this H p l e a with them' in th eir'jfadvance. the armcos Second Campaign the players space for each armco in the concentration.

campaign.

In the move each armco two spaces in succession,

or they may move two armcos one space each, but the rate of advance according to the numerical strength of the concentrations is maintained as stated above. However, more than two armcos in a space at one time is not permitted.

In the Third Campaign the players move each armco three spaces or may move three armcos one space each, following the move with the stated advance. However, not more than one armco in a space at one time is permitted in this campaign.

In the Fourth Campaign the players move each 'armco four spaces or may move four armcos one space each, follow ing the move with the advance as in the previous campaigns, these conditionings also applying to the four extra armcos which are introduced as above stated. In this campaign as in the first campaign three armcos may occupy anyone space.

Whenever a player succeeds in clearing any sector, he is required to place and leave one of the armcos of the victorious concentration in the space ofthe sector which is next to the enemys reserve line. The sector is then considered eliminated from further participation in the campaign. If inadvancing and achieving clearing of a sectorthe player has not used up the moves and ad vances which the victorious concentration calls for, afterplacing the said one armco, he may play the remaining armcos from the border line in a sector next to the cleared sector, or if the next sector'or sectors are occupied or cleared he may so play the said remaining armcos ofthe concentration from any eligible sector. There may be deadlocks between advancing and resisting forces in any sector, in-which event, no score is made and play is to be resumed in other sectors or the next game commenced. The loser of a sector is entitled to use the armcos forced out of the cleared section into the reserve zone, in

combating the advance of his opponents' forces in any other sector or sectors in the manner of reinforcements. It will be observed that in the game of the invention, the

pieces are not moved diagonally, nor is there 7 any capturing of game pieces, such as in checkers. Aside from the single armcos placed to designate cleared sectors, the entire contingents of armcos remain actively in play. V

An additional two (2) points may be earned by either player during the development of the campaigns through concentrating all of his armcos in a single sector which remain after the clearing of certain of the sectors.

When it happens that armcos catch up with last arrivals-are entitled to c'arryl'forward concentrations a are still in: contact after making the required moves and ad vances, the player isentitled to advance them again in this fashionin the next inning It is believed that the above description is sufiiciently full to enable anyone acquainted" with the art to which this invention relates to understand, construct, and use the gameboard of my invention and play the game of the invention thereon, However, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of this invention to the particular modifications set out herein to-illustrate the principles thereof, and any change or changes maybe made in materials and in the structure and arrangement of parts, as well asv in the regulationsgoverning the manner of use of the same,'within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: l I

1. A game apparatus comprising a playing surface having transverse lines thereon and longitudinal lines intersecting the trans- 7 verse lines in a manner to define game-piece accommodating areas, in combination with a setof game pieces of such size and shape that a plurality of the same may beexactly accommodated in and cover any one of said areas. V

' 2. r A game apparatus comprising aplaying surface havingtransverse lines thereon and" longitudinal lines intersecting the transverse lines in a manner to define game-piece accommodating areas, in combination with a set of game pieces of such size and shape that a plurality of the same may be exactly accommodated in and cover any one of said areas, and

a transverse reserve zone extended across either end of the playing surface.

8; A game apparatus comprising a play- 7 set of game pieces of such size and shape that. a plurality of the same-may be exactly accom- 'modated in and cover any one of said areas,

said areas being rectangular.

4. A gameapparatus comprising a playing surface having transverse lines thereon and longitudinal lines intersecting the transverse lines in a mannerto define game-pieces accommodating areas, in combination with a set i of game pieces of such size and shape that a plurality of the-same may be exactly accommodatedinand cover any, one of said areas,

sa d r sib ng n er ely nga e I Q A ame apparatuseomprising aplaying siniface iaving transverse lines thereon and loxigitudinal lines intersecting the transverse Lines in a manner to define game pieees aceommpdating areas, in combination with aset of game pieces of such size end shape that a plurality of thesa-m'e' may be exactly accom- 5-510; modated iiiea'nd coverany one of said areas, and a, playing, surface dividing medium lti'ensyerselyi bisecting the playing surface.

JOSEPH F. BLANCK. 

